Growing Up Drabble 3 - Lunch with Launchpad
by SkyPirateDash
Summary: LP decides to go to lunch with Gosalyn and discuss the current situation between her and her father. Awkwardness happens.


"It's another beautiful day in St. Canard! Slight cloud coverage is keeping us shaded and cooled from the summer heat! It's been a record twelve weeks without any serious damage being caused to the city by a super determined super villain, and as usual we thank heroes such as Gizmoduck, and Quiverwing Quack for their invaluable protection! this is Q-WAK, we'll be back with sports right after these sponsors."

"Boy, maybe all DW needs is a better marketing manager to get his name out there." Launchpad McQuack flicked off the car radio before he turned into the parking space available in front of Gosalyn's apartment. He switched the ignition off after he set the vehicle in park and sat in the driver's seat as he tried to mentally prepare for the coming conversation. He heaved a weighed sigh that betrayed his outward demeanor; Launchpad wasn't used to going behind Drake's back, especially in matters involving Gosalyn, but he wanted to make sure she was alright and most importantly, he wanted her to know that it changed nothing to him. She would always be the spirited young girl who was braver than him, smarter than him and that he loved like a daughter.

Still, the situation was difficult to address, if it were as Drake said - in his blubbering, manic state - there were emotions Launchpad had been completely blind to this entire time. He hadn't seen anything beyond appropriate affection between those two. Pure and innocent, especially, he realized, on Drake's end. Drake relented to his daughters demands often, only ever denying her when he felt she would genuinely be in danger because of it. He gave everything to show his love to her.

It seemed however she wanted, maybe even needed, more.

The driver's side door opened and Launchpad stepped out, he slammed it shut and looked up towards her window; It was closed, usually a sign she wasn't home.

Was today one of the days she worked? If only he wasn't so bad at keeping track of schedules. Before he took a step up the brownstone's concrete stairs, he heard a voice from one of the lower windows.

"Lookin' for lil' miss Sunshine? She's at work, Ace!" an older man hollered, it was a rather chunky looking rat who wore overalls and a filthy gray t-shirt, definitely a super for the apartment. He stuck half out of a bathroom window on the first floor and motioned with his wrench. "Tell 'er the hot waters runnin' again eh? She was real steamed today when she couldn't have 'er mornin' shower!"

"Hey hey! Thanks for the 4-1-1 Rosco!" Launchpad waved at him and returned to the street. "Well, a short walk can't hurt." he declared aloud and began his way towards the studio, just five or so blocks away. In the day, St. Canard's busy streets were as active as the middle of downtown Duckburg; people of all races and creeds moved about with indifference to one another; each lost in their personal world and obligations. Like them, he began to drift to his own thoughts, he remembered the night before with the clarity one gets right when they are told life changing news.

The front door slammed shut, her footsteps faded into the sounds of night as Launchpad leaned against the frame. His heart was heavy to see both of the people he loved clearly in pain. He moved to the window that faced the street and pulled back the drapes carefully to adjusted them until he could glimpse at Gosalyn; she moved quickly down their walkway as she adjusted her hoodie to cover her face. A wipe across her eyes told him all he needed to know. Launchpad wanted to go to her and offer comfort, unsure why the tension between them had become so unbearable that even being in the same room was too much.

Her form disappeared into darkness and Launchpad was left with only a feeling of anger; this was not how things should be, Drake was being stupid.

He turned around and glowered at the staircase leading up to the bedroom halls before he stomped up them. He rounded the corner and came to a halt in front of Drake's closed door. LP pulled his arm back and unleashed a fury of angry bangs against the white frame. "Gosalyn left, you can come out now ya coward!"

Launchpad stepped back; he expected the door to burst open in a fury of denial and offense but instead he was met with silence. Launchpad frowned and leaned back into the door. "DW?" he asked hesitantly. He reached for the door knob and turned it.

Drake's room was dark, faint blue moonlight allowed LP to see that Drake sat at the edge of his bed, he faced away from the door, he did not react to Launchpad's intrusion. He kept his gaze down and only slightly adjusted himself when he was displaced by LP who sat on the corner near him. "Ya know it's been months since this whole mess started," the pilot began. "Now, i'm not sure what happened in the Negaverse but we all had to go through some pretty tough moments there DW…" LP rubbed the back of his head. "Had to experience stuff most of us aren't used to."

Silence.

"Well, after you two talked about..whatever happened, things just got a whole lot worse and it's killin' me to see both of you like this. You love Gosalyn more than life itself and you're just… lettin' it all fall apart! What's going on?"

Drake heaved a sigh. He tilted his head towards Launchpad and rubbed his tired eyes as he spoke. "Gosalyn is in love with me."

"Well, we all love ya D.W., you're just a lovable guy." Launchpad responded in earnest, and the glare from Drake made it obvious he didn't understand the severity of the situation.

"Not like that Launchpad," Drake sighed, frustration mixed with the barest hint of amusement over his friends oblivious nature. "She -likes- me," he accented this with a turn towards him and motioned with his hands. "...In a less than platonic fashion." he whispered, his own face flushed with embarrassment.

"Oh," LP rubbed his chin as he thought of what exactly platonic meant, one glance at Drake's shameful expression allowed him to fill in the blank with a note of resounded surprise.

"OH!" his eyes widened in momentary shock and he gritted his teeth in a wince. Okay, now he understood why Drake did not want to even mention this. "Oh geez, but how did this happen?"

"I don't know!" Drake cried out in frustration. "After the Negaverse fiasco? Before? There's no telling how long she's been hiding this." He covered his face with his hands, ashamed by his angry tone towards someone who tried to help him. "I-I don't know how to handle this LP."

Launchpad put a hand to his friends shoulder. "You don't happen to feel…?"

"No." Drake responded immediately. "She's my daughter, I could never feel that way."

"Of course not." LP nodded quickly. "But it's not too hard to see how she'd get that mindset even if you're her dad."

Drake uncovered an eye to glare at Launchpad. "What do you mean by that? Are you saying I somehow asked for this?"

"Not at all." Launchpad put up his hands defensively and shook his head. "It's just that, well… You're larger than life D.W.! I mean, think about it. You come into her world as a masked vigilante riding a motorcycle who saves her from a buncha thugs working for the guy who killed her only living relative. You risked everything to make sure she made it out okay and then after all thats over you go and adopt her - taking her away from a horrible life and giving her a home, a father and a bright future and a hero to worship. That's a whole lot of emotions goin' there D.W..."

Drake listened and tried to put himself in her place. Being alone wasn't a difficult thing to imagine, hero worship was easy too. His life held many parallels to Gosalyn's he realized when he thought of his younger days and the solitude that he was often forced to experience. His heart ached at the notion of imagining her with those feelings. His precious little girl didn't deserve that. He had vowed to make sure she never have to experience that again - until now.

Gut deep guilt lanced at his already knotted stomach. He was so terrified of her feelings; it felt impossible to understand why her emotions had shifted towards the romantic. Why it couldn't have just stayed simple hero worship. Safe, clean, normal - all he'd have to worry about is what scrub thinks they're worthy enough to be her partner. For a while he thought it'd be Honker - thank goodness for the small miracle of not needing to tolerate Herb and Binky as in-laws. Now Drake wonders if her interest in him was a mask to hide other feelings, or if it had ruined the budding possibility of their happiness. Both outcomes unsettled him.

"So what was I supposed to do huh?" Drake felt defensive, all these things weren't his fault but in his mind he felt attacked. "Leave her there in that orphanage? Just… Just forget about everything and how she made me feel like what I was doing is actually WORTH doing?" he stood up and began to pace in front of LP. "Ya know, have a little two legged reminder that it isn't just for nothing; despite the unending underlings of evil are unlimited? For every crook I put away there's six of his cousins ready to take his place!" he growled, "For all the effort and pain and suffering just to be ignored by everyone I try and protect! except - except this little girl."

"And me!" Launchpad pouted, Drake turned his head to him and softened his expression. Of course, this was what happened when Gosalyn wasn't here to rein in his dramatic emotions. He nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, and you buddy. You two are the best things that ever happened to me. Now i've lost one of them to something I can't even do anything about."

"She knows you're not interested in this right?"

"How can she not?!" he sounded agasp. "We're not blood but i'm still her father!"

"And her masked hero."

"So?"

"Well I don't know if you remember being younger D.W.," Launchpad shrugged. "But I remember having all sorts of problems keeping my emotions and feelings in check."

"Yeah, so?"

"Well, remember those times when you'd sometimes look at someone and start havin'... ya know…" Launchpad fidgeted. "Dirty thoughts? What-if scenarios? Sometimes you can't' help it, other times you dive right in sorta things?"

"Your point, Launchpad?" Drake stopped in front of his friend and looked 'down' at him.

"Well she's at that age with the hormones and all and well, D.W... ahem… you're kinda-easy-on-the-eyes-if-you-get-my-meaning."

Drake stared blankly as he untangled that quick sentence Launchpad said. When his eyes widened and then arched LP knew Drake figured it out. Launchpad smiled sheepishly at his best friend; not quite the way he wanted to admit these feelings - but if it helped Gosalyn's case. It was awkward honesty, the kind Launchpad always gave and there was an overwhelming moment of affection in Drake that made him forget for a secondt the situation he was in. "Lauchpad, I could kiss you. If, I wasn't with Morgana and if I was attracted to you sexually."

Launchpad smiled at him, if there was an expression of hurt he hid it completely. "I know D.W., I accepted that a long time ago. The googly eyes you make at Morgana helped tipped me off there was no way, heh heh!" he chuckled, and smiled with relief when Drake gave him a hug and sat beside him. They sat in comfortable silence as Drake absorbed the new information about his roommate, Launchpad decided however that if they didn't pick back up on Gosalyn, it might derail. "But my point is, there's just somethin' about you, and I don't blame her for being attracted to you. Nobody knows you better than her ya know, not Morgana, not me."

That however, seemed to unsettle Drake further. "It's disgusting Launchpad, the very idea of even entertaining that notion..."

"I know that's how ya feel about it D.W. but you can't just ignore how -she- feels about it and get angry at her for it. I mean, she seemed to act normal to me today, she just came over with a cake and wanted to spend time with you on your day."

Drake looked away, and Launchpad could only get a partial view of the haunted uncomfortable look on his friend. "I couldn't stop looking at her eyes and wondering if she was thinking about it."

LP tutted, a noise not usual for his forgiving friend. "Sounds like you were busy lookin' for that the entire time and not lookin' for what she was trying to show you. She just wanted time with her dad and to get back what she probably feels is in danger."

The statement cut to the bone and Drake winced. "Maybe." he admitted. "But even if she hides it, even if … somehow we're able to pretend things are perfectly normal it won't take away what we know and will always know."Tears of frustrated pain streaked down his cheeks. "I can't give her what she wants."

Launchpad stopped at the light on the corner of Temo and Rook street and waited for it to change. Beyond the street was the movie studio Gosalyn worked at - lined by a seemingly endless beige wall covered in movie posters and other studio advertisements. The gate was still a few blocks away but Launchpad could see the traffic going to and from. LP crossed briskly and headed towards the entrance, a guard station containing a bored beagle waved at him half heartedly as he signed the visitors sheet.

He headed towards Studio 6 and waited beside the bleachers set up nearby. Soon, the doors opened wide with a torrent of people that flooded out; amongst the crowd came Gosalyn, dressed in her jeans, and grey decaled shirt, both of which were splattered with some form of cosmetic makeup from her work. She immediately spotted Launchpad and a smile tried to flutter across her face before she simply gave up and settled for a half smile. She cut her way diagonally through the crowd to reach him and looked up. "Hey, I didn't expect to see you here."

"I thought maybe if you weren't already busy we could get some lunch? My treat." he smiled in earnest at her and her expression warmed slightly.

"Well, I went through all this trouble to make myself this great meal…" she held up her energy drink can and ruefully nodded to it. "But, I guess I can be persuaded.." She handed off her drink to a passerby coworker and walked away with Launchpad.

Outside just away from the prying ears of any consumers Gosalyn sat on a cylindrical padless chair, beside it was a mock elegant red steel table and another cylinder to be sat on. Everything was bolted down to the ground and Gosalyn felt a twinge of annoyance that she couldn't scoot closer to the table. Launchpad returned from the counter with their food; a tray with two enormous burgers, fries and styrofoam containers filled with coo-coo cola. He placed them down in front of her and grabbed his soda; he nodded an acknowledgement. "Got that extra spicy seasoning on your fries just the way you like 'em."

"Thanks," she picked up her own drink and set it to the side while she fumbled with the straw wrapper. Launchpad did the same as he watched her as nonchalantly as he could. Gosalyn seemed not to notice and that told LP that there was indeed plenty distracted the very observant girl. They ate in silence, Launchpad struggled to find a way to break into the conversation he wanted for some minutes until at last he sighed and set his burger down. She looked up at him from her fries and she could already feel the next words that came.

"So Drake finally told me what's going on with you guys."

Gosalyn visibly reddened and the bit of appetite she had quickly vanished with the drop of a half eaten french fry. She suddenly wasn't able to keep LPs gaze and he felt a twinge of regret in his approach. "Hey, c'mon." he said in earnest. "It's me, your pal. Don't worry, I mean, I trusted you with my secret about how I felt over DW, right? Not exactly the same boat, but around the same ballpark, huh?" He smiled affectionately at her and slowly her emerald eyes met his as she spoke.

"There's nothing wrong with you feeling that way, heck probably half the neighborhood thought you two were a couple… I mean until Morgana started showing up. Pretty sure how I feel isn't excusable."

"All things considered, it isn't as bad as it could be Gos."

"Oh that makes me feel better, it's only half the nightmare I think it is." she grumbled and looked back down to her food. "I made dad hate me."

"He doesn't hate you Gos," LP immediately responded. "He's just scared, ya know? This isn't really something they talk about in parenting books or online forums, ya know?"

"Well he isn't the only one whos scared and confused!" She retorted. "I admitted something to him because I thought I could come to him about anything! I can tell him about the things that happened in the Negaverse, I can tell him I had to make a choice that left me feeling like everything's changed and he understood. But he didn't, he didn't really. He told me I could come to him whenever I needed to talk to someone about how I felt, he told me I didn't have to be afraid of him ever changing his feelings about me." Gosalyn sighed; she pushed away her food and rested her elbows on the table as she cradled her head in her hands. "Then one day he walked in and caught me doing-" she paused, not sure how to politely speak of such a private matter. "D-Doing, recommended therapy… and I had to explain I … I had to tell him I had feelings for him and he just…" she gripped deeper into her auburn hair, the scrapes along her scalp brought pain and in turn a sense of relief. "He just exploded… started telling me about all the things i've done over the years and all the problems I made and how he couldn't allow this and… and…" her voice cracked.

"Gos," Launchpad leaned forward and touched her arm. "He reacted that way because he didn't know how to handle it. He freaked out and did what he usually does - take it way out of proportion and act all dramatic."

"Well, he isn't wrong," Gosalyn looked up with her eyes red and shiny. "Everything he said was true… I've always been a trouble maker, I've always let him down…"

"That's not-"

"It is Launchpad, and I just keep... I just keep making it all worse with everything I do!"

"What do you mean, you seemed perfectly fine the last time-"

"No, it's not that… it's not what happened with dad." she paused to look away. "It's what happened _after_ I went home..."

Launchpad waited for her to compose herself, his own sense of dread rose with each moment that passed; he had never seen her this hesitant. "When I got home someone was waiting for me in my apartment." she continued. "It was Negaduck."

Launchpad bolted up, his eyes wide in horror. "Negaduck?!"

"Not so loud!" Gosalyn cried out, she reached up and grabbed Launchpad's scarf and dragged him back down. "Please."

"What was he doin' there?" Launchpad hunched down then scooted himself back onto his chair on the other end of the table but continued to lean in.

"He … He wanted to talk to me. He's visited me before." she admitted, the expression of horror on Launchpad made her look away. "It started happening after we all came back from the Negaverse, the time I spent with him trying to get out of that whole mess impressed him I guess." she looked at LP and frowned. "And I think I enjoyed him being impressed with me. I didn't at first; he scared me when he appeared out of nowhere in places I'd be. But he always made it clear he just… wanted to talk. Sometimes i'd listen, other times i'd run away before he could corner me into a conversation. When I moved out of the house I knew he'd find me but he never appeared, he always sought me out when I was Quiverwing… Until yesterday."

"But why?"

"It was Father's Day and he knew i'd be at the house. I think he knows what happened with dad." Tears streamed down her cheek freely, her green eyes plead for him to understand. "I was so hurt, so lonely and he knew it and…" she closed her eyes. "...and he looked so much like dad and the next thing I knew he was kissing me and I just… I couldn't stop, I didn't _want_ to stop..."

"Oh, Gosalyn…" Launchpad whispered, he reached out again to touch her arm, hesitant for a moment to make contact, fearful she would recoil given the implications of her story. "Did he… did he hurt you?"

"No… well, he got a little rough, but…" she opened her eyes and winced slightly at her next admission. "It was ..completely mutual."

Launchpad's right eye twitched slightly, but he shook it off and frowned. "This is not something D.W. is gonna take well."

"Oh, gee, ya think?"

"But he didn't hurt you. He didn't … physically. I ..I can't say the same for the mental."

"It was my choice to do this, he never-"

"No, Gos, c'mon, don't defend him... He took advantage of you when you were feelin' messed up…"

Gosalyn sighed, she wiped her eyes again and shook her head. "I really fucked up this time Launchpad… Dad is never going to forgive this, not with everything that's happened, not with what i've done..."

"You won't know until you talk to him, which, given how he's been actin' might be a problem…" Launchpad admitted. "But, you won't have ta do it alone, Gos. I can be right there if you need me."

"I can't tell him. I can't lose what little bit of a relationship I have with dad…"

LP was silent for a moment, before he nodded. "I wont tell him, you can count on that. He won't hear it from anyone but you and only when you're ready." her look of gratefulness made the voice that screamed in his head that this was not to be kept from Drake quiet some. "But, you gotta do somethin' for me Gosalyn." he scratched the back of his head. "Now i'm not gonna ask the awkward question of if you two used protection or not…" Gosalyn's eyes shifted to the side uncomfortably and LP got his answer. "But… you'd really put my mind at ease if you went and got yerself checked out. Negaduck isn't the most…" he struggled to find a proper definition that wouldn't offend her taste in intimacy partners. "...well, let's just say he doesn't look like he has the same kinda restraint D.W. has with the ladies."

"Right…" Gosalyn murmured; the thought hadn't even crossed her mind; how foolish she felt for that. Negaduck had all the looks and bravdo of Darkwing, but with none of the moral restraint, he was probably filthy with venereal disease. "Yeah, I think you're right."

"Do you need company?" he asked hesitantly.

Gosalyn considered it then shook her head. "No thanks, i'm going to finish up the last hour of my shift, then i'll head to the nearest clinic. I promise." She reached out and gripped LP's overly large sleeves with affection before she stood up. "Thank you, for listening and trying to help sort this stuff between dad and me."

"You both are really important to me ya know that." LP nodded. " I'm gonna call later today, see how you're feelin' alright?"

"I'll be home for a few hours before doin' the hero thing."

"Dontcha think you should take the night off?"

"I'll consider it."

He knew what that meant, but didn't press the issue. He waved goodbye to her as she walked back in the direction of the studio and didn't let his smile drop until she was out of sight. He looked down at the now unappetizing tray of food and felt the urge to hurl it away in a bout of repressed anger. "That no good, lousy yellow jacketed son of a…". He closed his eyes to compose himself and when he opened them again he found he'd gathered the food and trays already and was about to empty them into the nearest trash can. Thats what he'd do if he wasn't angry, routine was often therapeutic and what good would this outburst be anyway?

No, the solution required needed a more subtle approach. He walked back to the table he and Gosalyn ate at and sat once again. He reached into his pocket and pulled his cellphone out, he flipped the phone open and browsed through his contacts before he pressed dial.

The phone rang twice, before the receiver clicked and a sophisticated drole male voice answered. "This is McDuck manor."

"Hey Duckworth," said LP. "I'd like to talk to Mr. McD."


End file.
